The Christmas Card
by Sora-M-Jigen
Summary: Christmas; didn't the Whos know how much he loathed that holiday? So who would dare to send him a card? He was tempted to throw it out along with the rest of the trash but curiosity began to eat away at him on the inside. Who would send him a card? R


Ok, this is the first time I've ever done a fic for this. I hope for the love of God I get the characters right because this is my all time favorite Christmas special (personally, I prefer the original but I like this version as well) and I really don't want to screw it up.

The Grinch, Lou, and Cindy Lou Who belong to Seuss

* * *

The Christmas Card

* * *

It was a lonely sight to see.

All the vibrant cubby holes were filled to the brim with festive Christmas cards in numerous shades of crimson and emerald. However, one cubby hole was filled with spider webs and no cards whatsoever. That dusty cubby hole belonged to none other than the famous Grinch who lived atop . No one dared to fill his cubby hole with a card let alone any holiday cheer as seeing he was the most feared being and detested Christmas with all his miniature heart.

Because of him being the most feared, people stayed away from him as well as his "home" and wouldn't even speak his name. If one were to speak his name, it would cause a widespread panic which seemed to make time and all actions pause in terror. However, there was one brave little soul who wasn't mortified by the Grinch. Her name was Cindy Lou Who and although she was a child, she acknowledged the Grinch as one of the Whos, and not as an outcast. Although she had no idea what he looked like or his mannerisms, she was rather curious. She took her mother's warnings of the Grinch to heart (don't say his name, stay away from him as well as the Dump It, don't ask about him, etc.) but in the end, her curiosity still got the best of her young mind. But why was she given these warnings? Was he really that horrible of a Who? And so her curiosity grew to the point where she asked herself: what were to happen if she sent the Grinch a Christmas card? Surely, no harm could come from it, right?

* * *

The next day there was a letter in the Grinch's cubby hole. At first it concerned Lou, for who would send a card to the Grinch? Who would do such a thing? Maybe Martha? No, her mind was too occupied with the lighting contest. The mayor? Would he have that kind of heart to send the Grinch a card? No, he was too terrified of him and often tried to dismiss him when in conversation. Lou wasn't too sure about that and then finally looked at the handwriting. It was none other than his daughter's. While it scared him a bit to see his daughter would send a card to the Grinch, it terrified him even more to think of what others thought. People were already concerned and wary of his sons who had gone up to with a close encounter of the Grinch himself. Lou had to cover for them saying that they were just playing and nothing more.

However, he could see the kindness in his daughter's heart as he analyzed the handwriting. She was delicate with every letter and wrote every one as if they were made of glass and might crumble. She wasn't like the other girls who dotted their 'I's with hearts or stars. His daughter was unique and the only one to go to the limit and ask about the Grinch let alone do something like this. He was her little princess of adventure. Lou smiled and inserted the card in the Grinch's cubby hole. He would just say that a card was misplaced and sent to Crumpit, nothing more, nothing less.

* * *

The card found itself to the Grinch's lair within a day. Upon seeing it, Max, sniffed it with curiosity. No one had ever sent a Christmas card to the Grinch; not now, not ever. So what was this lonely little card doing here? Maybe it was misplaced in the mail? That could possibly be the case or so it seemed. However, it wasn't until the canine looked at the address that the card was meant to come here. Oh boy, how would his master react? Would he toss the neatly written card away? Or do something rather disgusting with it? The possibilities seemed endless for the twisted mind of the -

"MAX, GET OVER HERE!"

-Grinch.

Taking the tiny Christmas card in his mouth, Max did his best not to drool all over it. He hoped the Grinch wouldn't be harsh or brash about the card as he walked in his usual manner. His tail wagged excitedly about the simple holiday cheer tucked in his mouth. Max had a love/hate relationship for Christmas. He hated it only because his master expected him to and yet he loved it out of his own personal view. He liked the joy that was spread around like an infectious virus despite that he barely received it at all. Max lived with the Grinch on where Christmas was always loathed and never celebrated. However, on the days that they would go down to Whoville to mess with the Whos, Max would take in everything he saw – the lights, the joy, the beauty, the wonder of the season. It was a mere escape from the abhorrence of Christmas he was normally exposed to and he loved every minute of it.

Finally, he reached his master. The shadows cloaked his green frame as they seemed to make him appear more ominous and brooding. There was a faint light which seemed to outline his frame as well as the faint details of his face and body. The light brought out the eerie slenderness of his hairy green fingers that were tipped with sharpened nails. However, amongst the creepy darkness that seemed to drape his figure the only thing that stood out was his sharp yellow eyes. They were like menacing lanterns that pierced through the darkness and intensified the sudden chill of fear in the air. Slinking back into his chair, the Grinch was bored out of his mind. He did everything he wanted to that day except for one thing as he looked down at Max. Smirking a bit, he stood and stretched some. His intense yellow eyes never left the canine who dropped the card at his master's feet and started to wag his tail in excitement.

He wasn't amused but rather curious at the thing Max had left before him. What was it? Kneeling down, he picked it up as his mind was focused on the item. He couldn't see it in the dim light as he snarled to himself and turned on a few more lights. As much as he didn't mind the light, he preferred the dark. It seemed to suit his personality or so he believed but for now, the light would have to do. Watching Max, his smirk grew a bit as he pretended to reach behind his old lounge chair. Max, rapt with curiosity watched the Grinch as he turned back.

"You want the stick," he started in a fake excited tone. It was enough to fool Max as he barked gleefully and watched his master.

"Go get the stick," he made a throwing gesture which sent Max bolting like a streak of lightening in search of the stick. The Grinch snickered to himself. There was no stick. It was just something he normally did to Max for the fun of it.

Now onto the item Max dropped, it was a card but it wasn't just a card it was a Christmas card. Christmas; didn't the Whos know how much he loathed that holiday! So who would dare to send him a card! He was tempted to throw it out along with the rest of the trash but curiosity began to eat away at him on the inside. Who would send him a card? Who would take their time to write his name so prettily in the best of handwriting? Was it a fan? What an idea, he grinned to himself. A fan of the Grinch! The Grinch almost laughed at that. Who would be a fan of his when everyone was completely mortified by him? The curiosity grew inside. Maybe…it was Martha? Would she confess her love to him or plead for him to come back down? No, that seemed entirely impossible. Besides, that dolt of a mayor probably had his eyes (and arms) on her. It was at then the Grinch noticed the sender of this abhorred Christmas card; Cindy Lou Who. He didn't know anyone by that name. Maybe the address was wrong? Maybe it was to be sent to another and not he, the horribly dreaded Grinch?

If that was the case, then finder's keepers the card was his now! Grinning rather sinisterly he tore open the card like a lion tore through an antelope. It was a miracle that the card came out in tact as he threw the remaining shreds of the envelope to the side. The card itself was as white as the fallen snow on and as delicate as a snowflake. The Grinch sneered at the message on the front of the card which had 'Very Merry!' written in a holly berry red. Ignoring the message, he opened the card which had an array of falling snowflakes and golden stars for the background. There were two messages on the inside of the card. One was the typical, printed message of 'Merry Christmas'written in the same crimson shade. The other message was different and if anything more emotional than just the stereotypical holiday greeting.

"Dear Mister Grinch," he read aloud and smirked rather evilly at the thought of being dressed formally. Obviously, the sender had no idea who he was or if they did know, they were rather gutsy.

"I don't know why everyone's so scared of you but I'm not. I'm really curious about you though." Apparently this person had courage to write to him. A lot of Whos didn't have bravery as far as he knew but this Cindy had guts. However, he wondered why in the name of Crumpit she would be curious about the Grinch. Hadn't she heard the rumors or the repeated warnings of him? She must have been a child or a newcomer to Whoville and didn't know his mannerisms. Shrugging it off, he continued to read.

"I wish you would come down," with this he laughed rather hard. Him? The Grinch, come down to Whoville? That was a laugh. The Grinch laughed so hard he fell into his old armchair and grinned evilly. He gripped his sides as he could feel them hurting he was laughing so hard. His laughing was ceased as a thought came into his head. A sudden realization as the idea began to bloom like a dark rose. The Grinch got an awful idea. He got an awfully good idea as he thought of something. If he went down to Whoville he could mess with the Whos' minds like no tomorrow! Oh the things he could do, all the chaos he could create! The Grinch's grin grew as it became creepier with every second.

"So she wants me to come down, eh," he asked to himself aloud. "Hm…," he would have to obtain a disguise and possibly some tools like a wrench or a saw. The Grinch was satisfied at the idea of sneaking down and creating trouble for the Whos. It would show them how much he loathed them entirely, especially that mayor.

Taking a quick glance at the card, the rest of Cindy's message consisted of wishing him well and a Merry Christmas. Oh, he would do well all right – when he snuck down to Whoville tomorrow to cause chaos for all the Whos.


End file.
